A serious passenger train derailment in northern France has left dozens of people injured, prompting a large-scale emergency response, local authorities confirmed Friday. The incident occurred near the commune of Cléon, located just south of the major Normandy city of Rouen, along the rail line connecting Rouen and Caen.
Of the 44 people injured in the crash, one person – an 18-year-old woman – remains in critical condition. She was airlifted via emergency helicopter to a nearby hospital for urgent medical care. The remaining 43 injured individuals have sustained less severe injuries, according to official updates.
In a statement to reporters, French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot confirmed that 180 passengers were on board the train when the derailment happened Friday evening. More than 140 firefighters alongside multiple other emergency response teams have been deployed to the accident site to carry out search, rescue and treatment operations. French police have already sealed off the crash area to secure the site for investigation and response work.
Visuals emerging from the scene show passengers evacuating the damaged train, and local French media reports indicate that three of the train’s carriages overturned during the incident. France’s state-owned national railway operator SNCF has announced that the derailment has caused “significant disruptions” to all rail routes passing through the affected area. To mitigate the impact on stranded passengers, the operator has arranged replacement bus services for affected journeys.
As of the latest official update, the exact cause of the derailment has not yet been determined. Investigations are ongoing to identify what led to the incident, with authorities yet to release any preliminary findings on potential contributing factors.